Member Article

Coconut water set to rival high sugar fizzy drinks

With the sugar tax coming into force in April 2018, C7 Brands, the independent drinks company, believes the sugar tax will encourage consumers to reappraise the soft drinks they consume, positioning coconut water as a formidable rival to sugary fizzy drinks.

The coconut water market has grown twenty-fold since 2012. In 2017, UK coconut water annual sales broke the £100m mark for the first time – and are forecast to quadruple in the next five years to £500m.

At the same time, spend on carbonates is down by 3.1% to £1.3bn, ahead of the sugar tax coming in and reformulation attempts, so far, have been criticised by some, for impact on taste.

Jane O’Connor, C7 Brands Buying Director, commented: “To move the health debate effectively into this arena, a carbonated alternative to high sugar fizzy drinks needs to be available and our Coco Fuzion 100 sparkling range does just that.”

This makes C7 Brands’ aggressive expansion of its Coco Fuzion 100 range, the UK’s first all-natural carbonated coconut water, perfectly timed. The brand’s aim is to make the benefits of coconut water – low calorie, zero fat and containing only natural sugars, available to all, including the health conscious, sports teams, children and anyone searching for an alternative to sugar. With four flavours to choose from, at a market-leading price point, the brand provides a solution for those consumers who understand the benefits of coconut water, but have yet to find a great tasting product.

O’Connor explained: “Recognised as The Fluid of Life in the Far East for many years, the West is now catching on and Coco Fuzion 100 offers a modern adaptation in a variety of formats and flavours.”

The brand has already secured substantial listings in Sainsbury’s, Amazon, TK Maxx, WH Smiths and wholesale outlets, as well as working with leading sports ambassadors such as Chris Robshaw, Chris Eubank Jr. and Sir Ian McGeechan. It is also the official hydration partner of leading esports team Astralis and Premier League football team Huddersfield Town AFC, for whom removing sugar and boosting performance is ever-important.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by C7 Brands .